Optimal viewing of a video display, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), flat panel display, liquid crystal display (LCD), computer display, or other video or graphics display is usually from an on-axis view perpendicular to the image display surface of the display. For a flat or curved image surface, an on-axis view perpendicular to the center or midpoint of the display surface usually provides the optimal viewing angle. Such a viewing location or angle may be described, in short, as “on-axis” or “on-axis to the display surface.”
One reason that such an on-axis view is optimal is because it provides a correct or rectangular shaped aspect ratio of the video displayed from the display surface. It also provides correctly shaped shapes in content or data of the displayed video from the display surface. Thus, on-axis viewing is beneficial for two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) displays and (TV). In addition, on-axis viewing provides optimal three-dimensional viewing for three-dimensional displays and TV's, such as resulting in increased perception of the third dimension of the images displayed with respect to the display surface (e.g. increased depth perception).
However, depending on where a display is located relative to a viewer or user, the location of a viewer may not necessarily be on-axis to the display surface. Instead, the view angle or view location may be “off-axis” with the display surface. Viewing the display from an off-axis view is not optimal because it does not provide a correct aspect ratio, correctly shaped shapes, and/or correct 3D effects.